CARELESS WHISPER
by rosie ross
Summary: It's Matt's birthday, with surprises aplenty for all of Maryhill CID.  This was created with the help of the The Song Challenges.


DISCLAIMER - I don't own any of the characters mentioned apart from the creation of Roxie, who will be appearing in all of my up and coming stories.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:- This is my first ever time of writing for this website, the embolden paragraphs are indeed the lyrics of the song 'Careless Whisper.' Hope you all enjoy :-).

CARELESS WHISPER

It was Burke's birthday party, it was a rather low-key affair as this was what the detective chief inspector had wished for, there were no balloons and not even a birthday cake in sight as Matt had decided at the grand age of fifty-eight it was about time he started to look after himself. Too many nights had gone by with either too little food and drink or indeed too much, which then in turn blithered his mornings with incessant stomach churning or acid indigestion.

Meanwhile young Stuart sat in the corner chatting to Jackie and her husband Brian, Stuart envied the closeness of such a strong relationship - it was tough enough being in the career he was in, let alone trying to find his own Mr Right. He felt that he would never be in the position Jackie was, to be loved and to feel that love returned. Even when he had found his birth mother, it was not the reunion he had dreamt of - perhaps he was just unlucky, born under the wrong star as Robbie used to joke with him. Stuart checked his watch and thought to himself he would stay for another half hour and perhaps his luck would change and Duncan would walk in and smile, he had no clue if Duncan was straight or not but when they talked together on a one-to-one basis there was definitely something in the air between the two guys, a surge of electricity that went through both of them, and there was definitely a hint of danger. Working together and having a relationship with a person was hard to achieve unless your name was Eamonn and Ruth or Richard and Judy.

Most of Maryhill CID had made pleasant excuses to leave early, what was the use of a party they thought if you could not even get slaughtered. The drinks on offer were either fruit juices or non alcohol beers and wines, this suited Stuart as he was not an heavy drinker but it was moments like now - wondering and wishing that Duncan would come flying through the doors and swoop him up in his masculine arms and say the three words that he had yearned to hear. Maybe he was blowing the whole Duncan scenario out of proportion, maybe it was the fact that he was sitting with a happily married couple that was making Stuart feel so uneasy. Even the music that was playing, did not make the young detective feel any better about his romantic or would be romantic situation any easier to live with it. The dulcet tones of George Michael singing **"Time can never mend the careless whispers of a good friend to the heart and mind, ignorance is kind there's no comfort in the truth pain is all you'll find."** Jackie and Brian then made their own excuses holding onto one another's hand, Jackie claiming an early night would do her good and Brian wrapping his arms round his wife's waist did nothing to resolve the angst with Stuart. He checked his watch again, he did not like to leave not without perhaps the chance of seeing Duncan, what happens if he does come but with a woman? Stuart pondered he should've known better then to think that Duncan was different, he did not laugh at the jokes Robbie made, he did not flirt and he certainly was not up front and personal about his private life.

To Stuart's surprise the doors opened to and in walked Duncan, Robbie and Robbie's new girlfriend Roxie, Robbie was animated as always and Duncan was just well Duncan, dressed in a simple white shirt with black trousers. Duncan nodded and smiled to Stuart, he gestured if he could sit next to Stuart as the two lovebirds danced.

**"I feel so unsure as I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor as the music dies, something in your eyes calls to mind the silver screen and all its sad good-byes"**

Duncan asked Stuart if he wanted another fruit juice, 'sure' came his reply, Duncan smiled to him, his warm smile not his working one. This was the smile that Stuart only ever saw when it was just the two of them talking, it instantly put Stuart at his ease, Duncan came back to the table and handed his work companion the orange juice 'was not sure if you wanted ice, but you seem cool enough to me' he grinned again. Stuart blushed before uttering thanks, 'make a good couple don't they?' Duncan remarked, as he watched Robbie and Roxie dance even closer, 'I don't know, what makes a good couple to you?' Stuart asked the medical examiner. Duncan gulped down a swallow of his non-alcohol beer, 'exactly what them two have, intensity, passion, the desire just for one another and most of all love. I never thought I would see the day when Robbie Ross was engaged.' Duncan revealed smiling, 'Robbie engaged?' Stuart said gobsmacked by this revelation, 'yes he is going to ask Roxie on her birthday in a few weeks time, so at the moment its our little secret ok Stu?' Duncan winked. 'Sure, I can keep secrets' Stuart answered as he watched the engaged couple sway more to the music, Robbie's hands wrapped round the wasp like waist of Roxie, while Roxie seemed enchanted as she had her hands cupping the small of his back. The song seemed to play forever, Stuart smiled to Duncan, Duncan smiling to Stuart. 'I always did like George Michael back in his Wham days.' Duncan said laughing, 'really? I was more of a Boy George fan - never really liked slush.' Stuart said blushing as he did so, he finished his drink but still watched Duncan. 'So no to a dance then?' Duncan teased him, extending his hand to his male friend 'sure why not?' Stuart said beaming like a cat with a saucer of cream.

**"I'm never gonna dance again guilty feet have got no rhythm though it's easy to pretend I know you're not a fool."**

'Don't them two look great aye hen?' Robbie whispered to Roxie, she looked over and saw Stuart and Duncan dancing together and smiled 'its a good feeling to be in love and to be in lust, you cannot have one without the other. What makes you love me so much then Robbie Ross?' She asked looking up at the detective inspector. 'you are funny, clever, sexy, witty, you make me feel so young and you look good in clothes as well as out of them' Robbie smirked like a naughty schoolboy, Roxie laughed 'so what do you love about an old man like me?' Robbie asked, his tone deadly serious 'more or less the same reasons you gave for me and...' she whispered into his ear. Robbie Ross then grinned at his soon to be bride and kissed her with a raw passion and sensuality. 'Also she said you are a good friend as well as a brilliant lover' Roxie concluded, her English accent was music to his ears and his newly-healed heart.

**"Should've known better than to cheat a friend and waste the chance that I've been given so I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you."**

Robbie and Roxie said their goodnights and wished Matt a very happy birthday, as Matt sat at his office desk reading all the birthday cards he had received 'see you after the weekend Robbie, nice meeting you Roxie.' The older man smiled as he watched the pair of them go to Robbie's car, in a sense Matt felt a huge relief that Robbie was finally settling down after the countless flings and one-night stands. He knew of the heartbreak that Robbie had when Gabby had emigrated to Canada and taking their only son Jamie with her for a new life had hit the Casanova cop a lot harder than he truly wanted to let on, but he could not hide anything from Burke, not only was Matt his superior but he was also his confidante in times of trouble, in times of debt and indeed his gambling addiction. It was thanks to both himself and the love of a good woman, that good woman being Roxie that seemed to settle Robbie down. Detective Inspector Ross was now a hard working, punctual and respectable member of Maryhill CID, and Matt for one was pleased to have him as part of the team, he lowered the blinds to his office as Duncan and Stuart continued to dance, Matt opened up his filing cabinet and refilled his glass with neat whiskey, he raised the tumbler and said a toast 'to you ma, for making me the man I am today.' Matt drank the amber liquid down in one before pouring himself another. Meanwhile, Stuart was lost in the moment totally, he never noticed that Duncan was withdrawing himself from this social intercourse.

**"Never without your love. ****Tonight the music seems so loud I wish that we could lose this crowd Maybe it's better this way We'd hurt each other with the things we'd want to say."**

'Stu, I think you should know' Duncan started, Stuart looked at him with eyes that were like a child's at Christmas, expectant and hopeful that the perfectly wrapped gift was the one that they had wished it to be, Duncan went back and sat down and finished his drink, 'what is it? Is my dancing so bad?' Stuart joked, but to his surprise Duncan just sat there his dark eyes void of any laughter or emotion 'what is it?' Stuart asked again, this time more worried and insistent. 'I'm not like you' Duncan said quickly 'never have been, never will be, it was just a dance between friends ok? I am not like you.' Duncan eyes inflamed with every word he spoke, Stuart blinked away several times batting away the tears, half-moon salty mournful drops.

**"We could have been so good together, we could have lived this dance forever but no one's gonna dance with me. Please stay."**

Stuart went to squeeze Duncan's hand, 'its ok, I was in denial at first but...' before Stuart had time to finish to his sentence the medical examiner pulled back and uttered again 'I am not like you Stu, we are just good,mates ok nothing more?' He then took a couple of the non-alcohol beers with him, then left quicker than he entered leaving behind a hurt and bashful Stuart. His hopes and dreams had been shattered that night. The music came to an abrupt halt, bringing Stuart back to reality, a harsh reality with an enormous bang.

**("Now that you're gone) Now that you're gone (Now that you're gone) What I did's so wrong that you had to leave me alone."**


End file.
